Particulate filled hand puppet and play doll

ABSTRACT

A soft, formable pellet filled doll which may be played with both as an ordinary doll and as a hand puppet. The doll comprises a flexible casing which includes an upper torso portion, a lower torso portion, and a pair of leg portions. The casing contains a body of shiftable filler such as discrete plastic pellets, which help give form and shape to the doll in various portions, such as sitting. A head and a pair of arms are secured to the upper torso portion. A flexible cover sheet of material is disposed over the back of the upper torso to define an exterior compartment for receiving the hand of the user when the doll is being utilized as a hand puppet. Means connected to the head and arms of the doll may be selectively manipulated by the hand of the user within the compartment to cause desired head and arm movement. Such means may comprise structures defining apertures for receipt of the fingers of the user, or structures which the user may grasp or push to effect such movement. The cover serves to conceal the manipulating means from view so as to not detract from the ordinary doll appearance of the item. To facilitate the multiple usage of this doll, it is constructed and arranged so that the pellets can flow out of the upper torso portion when the doll is being used as a hand puppet, to thereby maintain reasonable proportioning between the upper portion of the body which is then enlarged by the hand of the user, and the remainder of the doll. On the other hand, when the hand is removed from the compartment the pellets may be caused to flow into and occupy the upper torso portion to give the doll a full, three-dimensional life-like appearance and feel. In this connection, the doll may be arranged in an upright sitting position where the legs are virtually emptied of the pellets, and a great majority of the pellets are concentrated within the torso portions.

United States Patent [191 Goldfarb et al.

[ June 28, 1974 PARTlCULATE-FILLED HAND-PUPPET AND PLAY DOLL [76] Inventors: Adolph E. Goldfarb, 4614 Monarca Dr., Tarzana, Calif. 91356; Erwin Benkoe, 17965 Medley Dr., Encino, Calif. 91316 221 Filed: Feb. 21, 1973 21 Appl. No.: 334,244

[52] US. Cl. 46/154, 46/158 [51] Int. Cl A63h 3/14 [58] Field of Search 46/154, 155, 158

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,6l9,77l l2/l952 Jones 46/154 Primary Examiner-Antonio F. Guida Assistant Examiner-Robert F. Cutting Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Robert M. Ashen [57] ABSTRACT A soft, formable pellet filled doll which may be played with both as an ordinary doll and as a hand puppet. The doll comprises a flexible casing which includes an upper torso portion, a lower torso portion, and a pair of leg portions. The casing contains a body of shiftable filler such as discrete plastic pellets, which help give form and shape to the doll in various portions, such as sitting. A head and a pair of arms are secured to the upper torso portion. A flexible cover sheet of material is disposed over the back of the upper torso to define an exterior compartment for receiving the hand of the user when the doll is being utilized as a hand puppet. Means connected to the head and arms of the doll may be selectively manipulated by the hand of the user within the compartment to cause desired head and arm movement. Such means may comprise structures defining apertures for receipt of the fingers of the user, or structures which the user may grasp or push to effect such movement. The cover serves to conceal the manipulating means from view so as to not detract from the ordinary doll appearance of the item. To facilitate the multiple usage of this doll, it is constructed and arranged so that the pellets can flow out of the upper torso portion when the doll is being used as a hand puppet, to thereby naigtain reasonable proportioning between the upper portion of the body which is then enlarged by the hand of the user, and the remainder of the doll. On the other hand, when the hand is removed from the compartment the pellets may be caused tg flow into and occupy the upper torso portion to give The aHFa fullfthreedimensional life-like appearance and feel. In this connection, the doll may be arranged in an upright sitting position where the legs are virtually emptied of the pellets, and a great majority of the pellets are concentrated within the torso portions.

14 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures PARTICULATE-FILLED I-IAND-PUPPET AND PLAY DOLL SPECIFICATION Hand puppets have long been a source of pleasure and amusement for children as well as adults. The usual hand puppet comprises an upper body portion with hands and a head. The body is typically hollow to receive the hand of the user, and a sheet or skirt may extend downwardly to further conceal the users hand and arm. This type of hand puppet is basically a shell, with the hand of the user providing the filling to give a three-dimensional appearance to the doll. Thus, when the hand is removed, the puppet becomes a limp bundle of material connected to a head. The puppet in this condition does not make an interesting plaything for a child. Further, the puppet character which takes life before the eyes of the child and becomes established in her imagination as the hand puppet is being manipulated, is diminished if not destroyed by the child seeing the limp, almost grotesque, bundle which the puppet becomes when the users hand is removed. Other varieties of hand puppets which have attempted to provide a three-dimensional aspect to the puppet have encountered a problem in providing the upper body portion for the puppet doll. On one hand, if the upper body portion is kept hollow for receipt of the users hand (which then provides fill and substance for the upper body portion), that upper body portion becomes limp and glob-like when the hand is removed. At best, even if a frame is provided to prevent the limpness and sagging, there is still no substance or thickness to the upper body portion when the handis removed, and the child can feel this emptiness when she holds the doll. On the other hand, if the upper body portion is filled or stuffed to give it three-dimensional fullness and substance when the hand is not in place, the appearance of the puppet will tend to be massive and grotesque in the area of the upper body when a hand is inserted for use of the doll as a puppet.

The present invention contemplates a puppet-doll constructed and arrange to satisfactorily provide both a hand puppet, and a doll which a child may play with without regard to its being a puppet. In particular, because of a shiftable body of filler contained within the flexible doll casing, the upper torso portion may be partially evacuated of filler to provide a sufficient and suitable cavity for the hand of the user when use as a hand puppet is desired. When the child desires to play with and cuddle the doll, the filler may be caused to shift to sufficiently occupy the upper torso portion to thereby provide three-dimensional appearance and feel to that portion of the doll. Further, the flow of the filler between diflerent portions of the doll facilitates manipulating the doll, placing it in various positions, and causing it to maintain itself in certain upright positions, such as an upright sitting position. The illustrated preferred embodiment of the doll comprises a flexible casing having an upper torso portion, a lower torso portion, and leg portions, all in communication. The casing contains a body of shiftable, flowable solid particulate fill. A pair of arms and a head are secured to the upper torso portion of the casing. Means connected to the head and arms are engagable by the hand of the user from outside and to the rear of the upper torso portion and may in that way be manipulated to selectively move the head and arms. A cover sheet of flexible material is secured to the rear of the upper torso portion. This cover sheet combines with the casing to provide an exterior compartment for the hand of the user. The cover sheet not only conceals the hand of the user, but also conceals the manipulating means, so that when the hand is removed, the rear of the doll has the appearance of an ordinary play doll. The cover sheet also cooperates to support the head and arms.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a front elevational view of a doll comprising a presently preferred embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged, partially sectioned side view of the doll of FIG. 1, showing the doll being held for use as a hand-puppet;

FIG. 3 is a partial rear view, with portions broken away, of the doll of FIGS. 1 and 2;

FIG. 4 is a side view, partially in section, of the doll in a seated position;

FIG. 5 is a partial rear view of a modified form of doll;

FIG. 6 is a partial rear view of another modified form of doll.

The doll 10 shown in FIGS. 1-4 comprises generally a flexible casing 12 defining an interior cavity 14. The

illustrated casing 12 includes an upper torso portion 16, a lower torso portion 18, and a pair of leg portions 20. The casing 12 contains a body or quantity of flow able discrete solid particulate material such as plastic pellets 22. A pair of arms 24 and a head 26 are secured to the upper torso portion 16 of the casing. In the illustrated construction of FIGS. l-4, the head 26 has a neck portion 28 which is open at its lower end, and the arm portions 24 have rearwardly open ends. Fingers of the hands of the user may be inserted into these openings to effect manipulation of the head and arms of the puppet. A rear cover sheet 30 extends across the rear of the doll, and is secured to the head, arms and upper torso portion of the casing to define an exterior compartment 32 for receiving the hand of the user, as shown in FIG. 2. The cover sheet 30 also conceals the openings to the arms and the head. In this embodiment, the means for manipulating the arms and head comprise structure which defines these openings.

As discussed above, the flowable pellet material 22 will flow out of the upper torso portion 16 when the doll is disposed upright and the hand is inserted into the exterior compartment 32. In this way, the hand provides the bulk and shape for the upper body, while the material occupies other portions of the doll. When the doll is not being used as a hand-puppet, the material may be readily caused to flow back into the upper torso portion to give that portion of the doll a threedimensional, filled-out look and feel. It also provides the doll with stability to aid in maintaining itself upright when it is propped-up against another surface or seated upright.

Now to consider the doll 10 in further detail. The casing 12 may be made of a flexible material'such as a soft fabric. The casing 12 defines the interior cavity 14 which extends into the upper and lower torso portions 16 and I8 and into the leg portions 20. Thus, there is communication between the torso portions and the legs of doll l0, and the filler pellets 22 can flow readily between the legs and the torso. Feet 24 may be formed by the lower ends of the leg portions 20, or may be provided by separate parts. It will be noted that the configuration of the upper torso portion 18 is of a somewhat flattened form to provide a minimum of excess bulk when the hand is inserted into the exterior compartment 32 as shown in FIG. 2. The upper torso portion 18 will however receive a sufficient quantity of the flowable pellet material 22 to provide depth of feel and appearance, as for example, shown in FIG. 4.

The arms 24, which may be of the same flexible cloth as the torso and leg portions to provide an uniform appearance, may be of hollow, generally tubular construction as shown best in FIG. 3. The arms 24 are each sewn along the front edge portion 36 of their upper end to a shoulder of the upper torso portion. Each arm 24 has an opening 37 at its upper end for the receipt of a finger of the user therein. The outer end of each arm may form the hand 38 of the doll, or separate hands may be attached as desired.

The illustrated head 26, which may be of standard rotational molded vinyl construction, is hollow and has the depending neck portion 28. As shown best in FIG. 3, the head 26 is secured to the body as by means of the lower end of the neck portion 28 being positioned rearwardly of the upper edge of the upper torso portion 16, with the torso portion being stitched or otherwise secured to a front edge portion 40 of the lower end of the neck portion. There is an opening 41 at the lower end of the neck portion 28 for receipt therein of one of the users fingers. To aid in controlling the movement of the head, a conical tube 43 may be secured at its base in the neck portion 28, from where it extends up into the head. The tube 43 provides a surface for the finger of the user to operate against.

The rear cover section or sheet 30 is secured across the rear of the upper torso portion of the casing. In the illustrated doll, the rear cover sheet 30 is stitched along either side edge, and along its upper edge. This leaves the bottom edge 42 of the cover sheet 30 unattached to form the entrance to the exterior compartment 32. More particularly in the illustrated doll 10, the casing 12 has front and rear torso panels which may be stitched together along their upper and side edges to form the upper and side edges of the upper torso portion 16. As noted above, the lower end of the neck portion 28 is stitched along its forward edge to the center of the upper edge of the upper torso portion 16. Similarly, the upper end of each arm is stitched along its forward edge to a side edge (adjacent the upper edge) of the upper torso portion. This partially supports the arms and head. The rear cover sheet 30 is then stitched in place along its upper and side edges. Sheet 30 is not only stitched to the generally aligned upper and side edges of the upper torso portion 16, but it is also stitched to the rear edge of the lower end of the neck portion 28 and to the rear edges of the upper ends of the arms 24. The sheet 30 thereby combines with the casing 12 to support in position the head and arms. This support permits essentially universal manipulative movement of the head and arms because of the flexible nature of both the casing 12 and the sheet 30.

It will be noted that the rear cover sheet 30 overlies the entire upper back of the doll to appear as a rear shirt or blouse panel. It thus overlies and conceals the lower end of the neck portion 28 and the opening 41, as well as the openings 37 at the upper ends of the arms 24. The cover sheet 30 is large enough so that the hand of the user may be readily inserted into the exterior compartment 32 as shown in FIG. 2. Means such as elastic may be provided along the lower entrance edge 42 of the rear cover sheet 30 to gather the edge and maintain it closely adjacent to the torso of the doll when the hand is not in the compartment. The elastic will then expand to receive the hand when it is desired to use the doll as a puppet.

The doll may be suitably decorated, and in particular the face may be painted or otherwise provided with facial features and hair to create a pleasing and attractive appearance.

FIG. 2 shows the doll 10being used as a hand puppet, with the hand of the user inserted in the rear exterior compartment 32, and with fingers disposed within the openings 37 and 41 to the arm and to the neck.

Alternate means for providing manipulation of the arms and neck may be provided. For example, as shown in FIG. 6, a plug 50, which extends downwardly from the neck portion 28a, fonns a handle that may be grasped by the user to manipulate the head 26a. If desired, a noise-maker may be incorporated into or operatively associated with this handle. For example, the handle 50 may be in the form of a compressible airbulb which operates a noise-making unit 49 when it is squeezed. The noisemaker 49 may simulate a childs voice. FIG. 5 shows another alternative where a voicesimulating sound unit operated by a pull cord 62 is provided.

Referring to FIG. 5, the arms 24b, instead of being empty and open at their upper ends, might be constructed similar to the casing 12b, with interiors 51 that are in communication with the interior cavity of the casing for flow of pellet material in and out of the arms. Covers or shrouds 52 may be provided over rearward portions of the arms. The arm covers 52 form extensions of the rear cover sheet 30b, and define receptacles 54 that are extensions of the exterior compartment 32b. Each receptacle 54 provides a place for a finger of the user; that finger is then manipulated to move the associated arm 24b.

In place of the unitary rear cover sheet 30, FIG. 5 shows a two-part rear cover sheet or means 30b. The sheet means 30b meet (and may overlap) at their inner edges 56 along the vertical center of the doll s back for normal play with the doll. The sheet means 30b may be spread apart to form an entrance 42b into the rear exterior compartment 32b for the hand of the user when the doll is used as a puppet.

Closure means such as Velcro strips, a snap fastener, or a button may be provided at the entrance to the rear exterior compartment to insure the compartment will remain closed during use of the doll as an ordinary play doll.

The fill material 22 for the doll is preferably a smooth-surfaced bead or pellet of polymeric materials which have a relatively low coefficient of friction so that it will readily flow between interior portions of the doll. For example, pellets of polyethylene may be used. For lightweight and economy a mixture of expanded styrene beads and plain styrene pellets may be used. Such fills also provide a good feel to the child through the cloth or fabric casing. The fill material should not only readily flow between interior portions of the doll, but it should also be relatively economical, easy to handle and inert. The amount of fill of the material should be such that the upper torso portion may be substantially evacuated when the doll is being used as a handpuppet, while there is sufiicient fill material so that the torso portions may be reasonably filled when the doll is used as a play doll to provide good three-dimensional appearance and feel. For example, the doll is shown in a sitting position in FIG. 4, where the pellet material 22 has been partially evacuated from the leg portions and is concentrated in the torso portions. This enables the doll to assume a stable sitting position. Since it is the torso primarily which requires the soft and flexible feel for the child user, the legs may be somewhat reinforced to enhance a three-dimensional look and feel even when they do not contain the filler material. In this way such reinforced portions can be made less soft, compliant and cuddly to the feel than the unreinforced torso portions, however, the reinforced portions combine well with the torso portions to satisfy the desire of the child for a soft three-dimensional play doll.

While the exact percentage of fill may vary, an attractive and workable doll has been achieved by providing enough fill to occupy the torso portions while leaving the leg portions empty. This amount of fill is about 50 percent of the volume of the cavity of the casing. It appears that at least one-third of the volume should be occupied to ensure a reasonable threedimensional look and feel for the doll. On the other hand, a fill of about 80 percent of the volume gives the doll a very full look when the hand is in the compartment.

We claim:

l. A soft formable three-dimensional hand puppet and play doll comprising:

a flexible casing including an upper torso portion, a lower torso portion, and leg portions, all in interior communication with one another,

a body of solid particulate filler disposed within said casing for controllable movement therein between said casing portions, said movement being controllable by manipulation of said casing,

pair of arms and a head connected to said upper torso portion,

means connected to each of said arms and to said head for selective and independent manipulation thereof,

flexible sheet means connected to the upper torso portion to form an exterior compartment at the rear of said upper torso portion for receiving the hand of the user and for concealing said manipulating means, said body of solid particulate filler being movable to substantially evacuate said upper casing portion to maintain the shape of the casing upon insertion of said users hand into said exterior compartment.

2. The doll of claim 1 wherein the volume of said upper body portion is not greater than the remaining volume of said casing.

3. The doll of claim 1 wherein said particulate filler occupies approximately one-half of the volume of said casing.

4. The doll of claim 2 wherein said solid particulate filler occupies approximately the volume of said upper torso portion.

5. The doll of claim 1 wherein said sheet means comprises a single sheet secured along its upper and side edges and open along its bottom edge to form an entrance into said rear exterior compartment.

6. The doll of claim 1 wherein said sheet means comprises a pair of sheets disposed next to one another and defining an opening therebetween centrally of the rear of said doll from side-to-side.

7. The doll of claim 1 wherein said sheet means includes arm sections extending over the rear of said arms, and defining finger cavities at the back of each arm in communication with said exterior compartment.

11. The doll of claim 1 wherein said particulate filler occupies no less than one-third of the volume of the volume of said casing.

12. The doll of claim 11 wherein said particulate filler occupies no more than percent of the volume of said casing.

13. A soft formable three-dimensional hand-puppet and play doll comprising:

a flexible casing including an upper torso portion, a lower torso portion, and leg portions, all in interior communication with one another,

a body of solid particulate filler disposed within said casing for controllable movement therein between said casing portions, said movement being controllable by manipulation of said casing,

said upper torso portion having an upper edge and I side edges,

a head having a depending neck portion with a lower end defining a receptacle, said neck portion being connected along the forward edge of said lower end to said torso upper edge,

a pair of arms each having an upper end defining a receptacle, each of said arms being connected along the forward edge of said upper end to one of said torso side edges, and

flexible sheet means connected to the head, arms and upper torso portion to form an exterior compartment at the rear of said upper torso portion for receiving the hand of the user and for concealing said arm and head receptacles, said body of solid particulate filler being movable to substantially evacuate said upper casing portion to maintain the shape thereof upon insertion of said users hand into said exterior compartment,

said sheet means having an upper margin and side margins, said upper margin being connected to the rear edge of the lower end of said neck portion and to said torso upper edge, said side margins each being connected to the rear edge of the upper end of one of said arms and to one of said torso side edges.

14. The doll of claim 13 wherein said connections between said upper torso portion of the casing, said sheet means, said arms and said neck portion are in the form of stitching. 

1. A soft formable three-dimensional hand puppet and play doll comprising: a flexible casing including an upper torso portion, a lower torso portion, and leg portions, all in interior communication with one another, a body of solid particulate filler disposed within said casing for controllable movement therein between said casing portions, said movement being controllable by manipulation of said casing, pair of arms and a head connected to said upper torso portion, means connected to each of said arms and to said head for selective and independent manipulation thereof, flexible sheet means connected to the upper torso portion to form an exterior compartment at the rear of said upper torso portion for receiving the hand of the user and for concealing said manipulating means, said body of solid particulate filler being movable to substantially evacuate said upper casing portion to maintain the shape of the casing upon insertion of said user''s hand into said exterior compartment.
 2. The doll of claim 1 wherein the volume of said upper body portion is not greater than the remaining volume of said casing.
 3. The doll of claim 1 wherein said particulate filler occupies approximately one-half of the volume of said casing.
 4. The doll of claim 2 wherein said solid particulate filler occupies approximately the volume of said upper torso portion.
 5. The doll of claim 1 wherein said sheet means comprises a single sheet secured along its upper and side edges and open along its bottom edge to form an entrance into said rear exterior compartment.
 6. The doll of claim 1 wherein said sheet means comprises a pair of sheets disposed next to one another and defining an opening therebetween centrally of the rear of said doll from side-to-side.
 7. The doll of claim 1 wherein said sheet means includes arm sections extending over the rear of said arms, and defining finger cavities at the back of each arm in communication with said exterior compartment.
 8. The doll of claim 1 wherein said manipulating means comprises structure defining recesses extending into said head and into each of said arms for receipt therein of fingers of the user''s hand.
 9. The doll of claim 1 wherein said manipulating means for said head comprises a handle depending downwardly from said head and into said exterior compartmeNt.
 10. The doll of claim 8 wherein said head is hollow and said head-recess defining structure further includes means extending up inside said head for engagement by the finger of the user to aid in manipulating said head.
 11. The doll of claim 1 wherein said particulate filler occupies no less than one-third of the volume of the volume of said casing.
 12. The doll of claim 11 wherein said particulate filler occupies no more than 80 percent of the volume of said casing.
 13. A soft formable three-dimensional hand-puppet and play doll comprising: a flexible casing including an upper torso portion, a lower torso portion, and leg portions, all in interior communication with one another, a body of solid particulate filler disposed within said casing for controllable movement therein between said casing portions, said movement being controllable by manipulation of said casing, said upper torso portion having an upper edge and side edges, a head having a depending neck portion with a lower end defining a receptacle, said neck portion being connected along the forward edge of said lower end to said torso upper edge, a pair of arms each having an upper end defining a receptacle, each of said arms being connected along the forward edge of said upper end to one of said torso side edges, and flexible sheet means connected to the head, arms and upper torso portion to form an exterior compartment at the rear of said upper torso portion for receiving the hand of the user and for concealing said arm and head receptacles, said body of solid particulate filler being movable to substantially evacuate said upper casing portion to maintain the shape thereof upon insertion of said user''s hand into said exterior compartment, said sheet means having an upper margin and side margins, said upper margin being connected to the rear edge of the lower end of said neck portion and to said torso upper edge, said side margins each being connected to the rear edge of the upper end of one of said arms and to one of said torso side edges.
 14. The doll of claim 13 wherein said connections between said upper torso portion of the casing, said sheet means, said arms and said neck portion are in the form of stitching. 